Sports Helmet Having Ventilation and Defogging Capacities that are Reinforced

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a sports helmet comprising an outer shell (2) and an inner liner (1), said sports helmet being characterized in that said shell and said liner define between them firstly a ventilation circuit (A) designed to remove hot air, and defined between slots (11a, 11b, 21a, 21b) provided, respectively, through the inner liner (1) and through the outer shell (2), and secondly a venting circuit (V) designed to defog an independent piece of vision equipment (M), and defined between suction inlets (10) provided in the front portion of the helmet and discharge outlets (20) provided in the outer shell (2), said helmet further comprising an adjustable shutter (3) making it possible to modify the air flow of the ventilation circuit (A) and the air flow of the venting circuit (V) in reversible manner.

The invention relates to a sports helmet having ventilation and defogging capacities that are reinforced.

The invention relates more particularly to a helmet for sports of the skiing or boardsport types, and in particular for winter sports such as Alpine or downhill skiing, ski touring, cross-country or Nordic skiing, snowboarding, and sledding.

The helmet of the invention may also be used for cycling, bicycle touring, or mountain biking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Protective helmets used for sports of the skiing or boardsport type, and in particular for winter sports, are designed to protect the heads of the people doing the sport in the event that they fall or that they collide with obstacles.

Given the relatively low temperatures prevailing in snow-covered regions and/or at altitude, such helmets also have thermal insulation properties for keeping out the cold from the surrounding environment.

In order to provide those various functions effectively, such a helmet conventionally comprises a rigid outer shell enclosing a shock-absorbing and thermally-insulating inner liner.

In addition, and in order to avoid overheating of the head, such a helmet is generally provided with means making it possible to remove, i.e. to discharge, the hot air produced at the head due to the physical efforts of the wearer, i.e. of the user.

Such removal means comprise a ventilation circuit opening out to the outside in the top face of the helmet via ducts defined between slots provided through the rigid outer shell and through the inner liner.

Certain helmets are equipped with an adjustable closure system for closing the ventilation circuit that enables the wearer to adjust the temperature inside the helmet as a function of circumstances, by moving a shutter, e.g. in translation.

Such helmets are described, in particular, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,618 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,683,617. In those patents, the closure system is constituted by a shutter plate that is disposed between the inner lining and the outer shell and that is suitable for being moved in translation by the wearer via an operating lug or lever that is accessible from the outside of the helmet, so as to close the slots of the ventilation circuit.

In addition, it is very frequent for a wearer of a sports helmet also to be wearing goggles or a facemask forming a screen to avoid the adverse effects of speed, rain, cold, wind and/or sun on the wearer's vision of the surrounding environment.

Facemasks generally have an upper edge provided with a strip of porous foam and/or with orifices communicating with the outside with a view to limiting the phenomena of condensation inside the facemask.

However, simultaneous use of a helmet and of a facemask facilitates the appearance of fog or mist (water vapor) inside the facemask due, in particular to the lower edge of the helmet tending to hinder removal of the fog. Thus, certain helmets are equipped with integrated means that facilitate defogging or demisting of the facemask.

Such defogging means comprise a venting circuit received in the helmet and communicating with the internal volume of the facemask via the strip of foam or via the orifices. The communication is established via suction inlets provided in the lower edge of the inner liner facing the upper edge of the facemask, and opening out to the outside in the front face of the helmet via discharge channels and outlets provided in its outer shell.

Such helmets are described, in particular, in US 2011/0167541 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,537.

However, the hot air removal means and the defogging means provided on existing helmets are generally mutually independent. The ventilation circuit of the helmet and the venting circuit of the facemask are designed such that they are necessarily separate and cannot be otherwise than isolated from each other in known helmets.

An object of the present invention is to optimize the ventilation and defogging capacities of the helmets by coupling together the circuits specific to these functions in such a manner that the respective flow rates, namely the hot air removal flow rate and the water vapor discharge flow rate, are significantly increased by a synergistic effect.

The invention achieves this object by providing a sports helmet comprising an outer shell and an inner liner, said sports helmet being characterized in that said shell and said liner define between them firstly a ventilation circuit designed to remove hot air, and defined between slots provided, respectively, through the inner liner and through the outer shell, and secondly a venting circuit designed to defog an independent piece of vision equipment, and defined between suction inlets provided in the front portion of the helmet and discharge outlets provided in the outer shell, said helmet further comprising an adjustable shutter making it possible to modify the air flow of the ventilation circuit and the air flow of the venting circuit in reversible manner.

In accordance with an advantageous characteristic, the shutter connects the ventilation circuit to the venting circuit.

In a first variant, the shutter has a longitudinal opening.

In accordance with another characteristic, the shutter has an operating stud that projects through the outer shell.

In accordance with yet another advantageous characteristic, the adjustable shutter has an axial tongue that is connected on either side to two arms, each of which carries a flap forming a valve member between the ventilation circuit and the venting circuit.

In a first embodiment, the ventilation circuit comprises, in the liner, a central cavity and at least two side cavities, said cavities receiving said adjustable shutter and communicating with said slots.

In another embodiment, the venting circuit comprises at least two side channels provided in the liner between the suction inlets and said side cavities of the ventilation circuit, with which cavities they communicate via a duct.

In accordance with another characteristic, the axial tongue slides in the central cavity while said flaps pivot in the side cavities by said arms moving, under the action of said tongue, between an isolation position in which the ventilation circuit and the venting circuit are isolated from each other and a communication position in which the side channels of the venting circuit open out, via the duct into the side cavities of the ventilation circuit.

In accordance with yet another characteristic, the discharge outlets of the venting circuit communicate with said channels upstream from said duct.

Preferably, the channels of the venting circuit are of section that tapers going from upstream to downstream.

In a specific variant, the arms are of curved profile and are mounted to slide in circular guide grooves provided between the central cavity and the side cavities of the liner.

In another variant, the flaps are provided on links that are connected to said arms and that are fastened to move in rotation in said side cavities.

Preferably, the shutter is made in one piece constituted of the tongue, of the flexible arms, and of the links carrying the flaps.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ventilation circuit further comprises firstly at least one upper slot in the liner that comes into register with at least one upper slot in the shell and secondly at least two side lower slots in the liner that extend in offset manner relative to at least two corresponding slots in the shell.

In accordance with a characteristic of the shutter, the upper face of each of the links forms a cover for closing a respective one of the slots in the shell.

In parallel, the venting circuit further comprises at least two front suction inlets in the liner and at least two corresponding discharge outlets in the shell that extend in offset manner towards the rear of the helmet.

The invention makes it possible to modify and to adjust the flow rates of the ventilation and venting circuits by means of single shutter incorporated in the helmet.

By means of the invention, the flow rates of the ventilation and venting flows are significantly higher, thereby making it possible to obtain not only better regulation of the temperature inside the helmet but also faster and more effective defogging of the facemask.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear on reading the following description, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the helmet of the invention being used with a facemask;

FIG. 2 is a view from above of the inner liner used in the embodiment of the helmet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view from above of the outer shell used in the embodiment of the helmet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the shutter and of the liner that are used in the embodiment of the helmet shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views from above of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, respectively in an isolation position in which the ventilation and venting circuits are mutually isolated and in a communication position in which they are communicating.

To make the drawings clearer, identical or similar elements are given identical references in all of the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Naturally, the embodiments shown in the figures listed above are given merely by way of non-limiting examples. Provision is explicitly made for it to be possible to combine the various embodiments and variants in order to propose others.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a helmet of the invention designed for Alpine skiing and used in this example with a facemask M.

This helmet is symmetrical about a longitudinal middle axis. However, it is possible, without going beyond the ambit of the invention, to implement components of the helmet asymmetrically, such as, for example the ventilation and venting circuits and orifices, if only for reasons of aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Said helmet includes a liner 1 having a concave inside profile that substantially matches the shape of the head and, for reasons of comfort and of safety, said liner is made of a shock-absorbing material (e.g. a cellular material of the expanded polystyrene (EPS) type or of the expanded polypropylene (EPP) type. The helmet may also include a comfort lining, which is, in general, made of a soft foam or of a textile material, and which is positioned between the liner and the head of the wearer.

Said helmet also includes a rigid outer shell 2 made of a material that is of greater hardness with a view to forming a shield against impacts and shocks. The material that forms the shell is a thermoplastic material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or polycarbonate, obtained by injection molding. Optionally, the plastics material forming the shell may be filled with fibers, e.g. glass, carbon, or Kevlar fibers, or with any other type of fibers, which may be natural fibers.

In addition, the helmet is provided, in conventional manner, with a set of adjustable ties (not shown) for positioning it and holding it on the wearer's head.

The helmet may, on its front edge, be provided with a visor or peak B, as in the embodiment shown by FIG. 1.

The inner liner 1 and the outer shell 2 are secured to each other (e.g. by adhesive bonding, or by any other technique of securing a liner to a helmet) while defining between them firstly a ventilation circuit A and secondly a venting circuit V.

The ventilation circuit A is designed to improve comfort by removing the hot air trapped around the head of the wearer.

The ventilation circuit A has two sets of through slots.

A first set of slots is constituted by at least one upper slot, and, in this example, by three upper slots 11 a, provided through the wall of the liner 1 and coming into register with at least one upper slot and, in this example, with three upper slots 21 a, provided through the outer shell 2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

A second set of slots is constituted by at least two lower slots 11 b provided symmetrically on either side of the helmet, through the wall of the liner 1 and coming into register with at least two corresponding lower slots 21 b provided through the outer shell 2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

In variants of the invention that are not shown, the airflow passages defined by the slots in the figures may have a variety of different profiles, taking the form of recesses or orifices having, for example, rounded or rectangular outlines.

In the liner 1, the ventilation circuit A further includes a central upper cavity 12 into which the upper slots 11 a open out, and at least two side lower cavities 13 into which the lower slots 11 b open out.

The functions of the cavities 12, 13 of the liner 1 and how they co-operate with other components of the invention are described in more detail below.

The venting circuit V is designed to defog or demist the facemask M by enabling the water vapor that is condensed and trapped in the facemask M to be discharged, i.e. to escape.

Naturally, the venting circuit V remains operational and effective if the wearer is also wearing spectacles, sunglasses, or a retractable visor that is optionally incorporated in the helmet or mounted on the outside of the shell.

The venting circuit V is defined between at least one suction inlet and preferably, as in the embodiment shown, two inlets 10 provided in the front edge or, more generally, in the front portion of the inner liner 1 (under the optional visor B) and at least one corresponding discharge outlet 20, and, in this example, two corresponding discharge outlets 20, provided in the outer shell 2 and extending in offset manner towards the rear of the helmet.

In a variant, the inlets 10 may be provided in a separate protective part that is mounted on the front edge of the liner, or optionally be provided in the outer shell itself.

The venting circuit V further includes at least two side channels 15 provided in the liner 1 between the suction inlets 10 and the side cavities 13 of the ventilation circuit A, to which cavities they can be connected and with which cavities they can communicate via a duct 16 forming an airlock for the airflow passage.

The discharge outlets 20 of the venting circuit V communicate with the channels 15 upstream from the duct 16.

On fitting the facemask M, the suction inlets 10 of the helmet find themselves positioned in the immediate vicinity of the upper edge of the facemask. Said upper edge is, in general provided with a porous foam (not shown) and optionally with communication orifices for communicating with the outside that are designed to dissipate the condensation in the facemask and that then come to be placed in register with the suction inlets 10 of the helmet.

Once all of the components of the helmet are assembled together, the side cavities 13 and the channels 15 are covered by the wall of the outer shell 2, as shown in FIG. 1.

A variant (not shown) consists in reversing this structure by providing the side cavities and the channels in the wall of the shell instead of in the wall of the liner.

Optionally, the shell 2 is provided with additional orifices 22 in register with the inlets 10 in the liner 1 on the sides of the visor B, when such a visor exists, as shown in the variants in FIGS. 1 and 3.

In general, the hot air present in the upper portion of the helmet is entrained towards the outside by means of the laminar air flows generated by speed, which flows act, via the slots 21 a and 21 b, to generate suction in the internal ventilation circuit A of the helmet, as indicated by the dashed-line arrows in the drawings.

Similarly, at the outlets 20, these laminar flows generate suction in the venting circuit V that makes it possible to extract water vapor from the facemask M via the inlets 10 and the outlets 20, as indicated by the uninterrupted-line arrows in the drawings.

In order to optimize this suction effect, the lower slots 21 a, 21 b and the outlets 20 extend longitudinally in the helmet and have beveled edges, as shown in the drawings.

Thus, the respective air discharges from the ventilation circuit A and from the venting circuit V are substantially perpendicular, as can be seen in FIG. 1.

In parallel, the channels 15 of the venting circuit V are of section that tapers going from upstream to downstream, as shown in FIG. 1, thereby facilitating suction of the air and acceleration of said air in the channels 15, in order to optimize the extraction flow rate at which the fog or mist is extracted from the facemask M starting from the inlets 10.

In accordance with the invention, provision is made to couple the venting circuit V to the ventilation circuit A in order to increase the suction level in the venting circuit V and in order to optimize the extraction flow rate at which the fog is extracted.

To this end, the helmet is provided with an adjustable shutter 3 enabling the wearer, in reversible manner, not only to modify and adjust the output flow rate of hot air from the ventilation circuit A, and therefore the temperature inside the helmet, but also to modify and adjust the air flow rate in the venting circuit V, thereby modifying the defogging capacity.

In accordance with an advantageous characteristic, the adjustable shutter 3 makes it possible to connect the ventilation circuit A to the venting circuit V, thereby modifying the defogging capacity.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the adjustable shutter 3 comprises, for this purpose, an axial tongue 31 provided with a longitudinal opening 30 and with an operating stud 35 that projects through the outer shell 2.

The opening 30 is suitable for being caused, by the tongue 31 moving in translation, to come into register with the upper slots 11 a in the liner 1 and with the upper slots 21 a in the shell 2 to open the ventilation circuit A.

The tongue 31 rests on a longitudinal flat 12 a forming a slideway provided on the edge of the central cavity 12, as shown in FIG. 2.

The longitudinal ends of the flat 12 a of the central cavity 12 form abutments or stops for stopping the tongue 31 from sliding.

Pins 31 a of small dimensions that project from the axial tongue 31 come to engage in corresponding holes provided around the central upper slot 11 a, so as to hold the tongue 31 in a middle position in the cavity 12.

In a variant, pins of small dimensions (not shown) may project around the central upper slot 11 a and come to engage in corresponding holes provided in the axial tongue 31 so as to hold it in a middle position in the cavity 12.

In another variant (not shown), the shutter may be supported by the shell, in the wall of which holes co-operating with the pins of the shutter are provided.

The tongue 31 is connected, on either side to two flexible arms 32, each of which carries a respective flap 33 forming a valve member between the ventilation circuit A and the venting circuit V.

The two arms 32 are slidably received and incorporated in two circular guide grooves 14 provided between the central cavity 12 and the side cavities 13 of the liner 1, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

In a variant that is not shown, the shutter 3 does not have an axial tongue. The side arms 32 actuating the flaps 33 are thus connected together via a connecting and operating element, or else they are left independent, each of them then being provided with its own operating element.

In this variant, the ventilation circuit A does not have a central removal orifice and the hot air is discharged only via the lower slots 11 b,21 b and via the side cavities 13.

At its front periphery, each of the side cavities 13 has a first flat 13 a on which a support tab of the flap 33 rests and slides.

The flaps 33 are formed transversely on links 34 connected to the arms 32 and fastened to move in rotation in the side cavities 13 of the liner. For this purpose, the end 34 a of each link 34 has a curved profile and carries a lug (not shown) forming a pivot that is engaged to move in rotation in the liner, in a corresponding orifice provided in a second flat 13 b situated at the rear periphery of the side cavity 13.

The links 34 have upper faces 34 b that extend under the shell 2 while matching the shape of its inside wall, and at some distance from the bottoms of the side cavities 13.

The flaps 33 extend transversely to the outside wall of the liner 1 and to the inside wall of the shell 2 and thus substantially perpendicularly to the upper faces 34 b of the links 34.

In order to obtain optimum compactness and good cohesion between the inner liner 1 and the outer shell 2, the shutter 3 is incorporated and held vertically between the shell 2 and the liner 1 during assembly of the helmet. Provision is thus made for its overall envelope to match the shape of the outside profile of the liner without having any projecting extra thickness, except for the stud 35 for actuating the shutter 3.

More specifically, the axial tongue 31 is received entirely in the central cavity 12 and the flaps 33 are incorporated in the two side cavities 13 of the liner 1. It is thus easier to assemble the shell with the liner carrying the shutter.

The two arms 32 providing the connection between the tongue 31 and the flaps 33 are symmetrical and have forwardly-curved profiles. In this example, each of them is formed of a small thickness of material and therefore has an elastic deformation capacity.

The shutter is preferably made in one piece by molding a plastics material. The material may, for example, be a thermoplastic material such as a polyamide or a polyurethane. In a variant, the material of the shutter may be a plastic filled with fibers, or optionally a metal material.

The axial tongue 31 is suitable for sliding forwards and backwards in the central cavity 12 of the liner 1 between its two longitudinal ends. The movement in translation of the axial tongue 31 causes the arms 32 to slide along curved paths in the grooves 14 and causes the links 34 to pivot, and, as a result, causes the flaps 33 to pivot in the side cavities 13.

Forward movement of the tongue 31 pushes the arms 32 in the grooves 14 and causes the two ducts 16 to be closed by the flaps 33. Conversely, backward movement of the tongue 31 causes the ducts 16 to be opened.

Thus, the flaps 33 pivot between an isolation position in which the two circuits, i.e. the ventilation circuit A and the venting circuit V, are isolated from each other, and a communication position in which they communicate with each other.

However, the stroke of the central tongue 31 makes it possible to position the shutter in any intermediate opening position.

In the isolation position in which the circuits A and V are isolated from each other (FIG. 5A), the two ducts 16 are closed by the flaps 33.

In this position, the upper face 34 b of each of the links 34 that forms a cover is positioned under the lower slots 21 b in the shell 2 so as to close them, and the hot air around the head of the user is then retained inside the helmet. This position therefore corresponds to the ventilation circuit A being totally closed.

The movement of the flaps 33 in the cavity 13 is accompanied by tangential movement of the upper face 34 b of each of the links 34.

In a variant (not shown), the upper face 34 b of each of the links 34 is provided with an orifice that is suitable for coming into register with the slots 21 b in the shell 2 so as to enable the hot air trapped in the upper portion of the helmet to be discharged, i.e. to escape, to a limited extent, and thus so as to enable the ventilation circuit A to be opened to a minimum extent.

In the communication position in which the two circuits communicate with each other (FIG. 5B), the side channels 15 of the venting circuit V then open out, via the ducts 16, into the side cavities 13 of the ventilation circuit A. The channels 15 then communicate with the outside both via the outlets 20 and also via the slots 21 b.

The end or extreme communication position (FIG. 5B) also corresponds to the ventilation circuit A being open to the maximum extent since the upper slots 11 a, 21 a and the lower slots 11 b, 21 b of the liner and of the shell open out to the outside.

However, it is possible to place the shutter 3 in any intermediate adjustment position in which the tongue 31 is disposed between the longitudinal ends of the central cavity 12. In this intermediate position, the venting circuit V remains open but the upper slots 11 a of the ventilation circuit A are then partially closed off.

In a variant that is not shown, the venting circuit V and the ventilation circuit A may be independent and isolated from each other, e.g. by a transverse wall provided in the side cavity 13 or carried by the shutter 3. The air arriving from the venting circuit V can then be discharged via the slots 21 b that also serve as discharges for the ventilation circuit A.

In a variant, the helmet may be manufactured using an “in-mold” method. Such a method of manufacturing consists in molding the helmet while fusing the outer shell with the inner liner in the same mold. The shell is obtained by injection molding and the liner is overmolded inside the shell. The advantage of such a method is to lighten the structure of the helmet while also reinforcing its shock-absorbing capacity.

With this method, two implementations are possible.

In a first implementation, the liner is manufactured in two portions so as to incorporate the shutter: a first portion of liner, of thin thickness, is molded over the shell. Another portion of liner, made in a second mold and carrying the shutter, may be mounted from inside the helmet. The shutter then moves between two layers of liner.

In the second embodiment, the shell is manufactured in two portions: a first portion of shell is then molded and the liner is molded over it or vice versa. The liner then carries the side cavities and the channels. The shutter is then mounted in the recess in the shell and the first portion of shell is supplemented by assembling it with a second portion of shell that is molded separately. 

1. A sports helmet comprising an outer shell and an inner liner, wherein said shell and said liner define between them firstly a ventilation circuit designed to remove hot air, and defined between slots provided, respectively, through the inner liner and through the outer shell, and secondly a venting circuit designed to defog an independent piece of vision equipment, and defined between suction inlets provided in the front portion of the helmet and discharge outlets provided in the outer shell, said helmet further comprising an adjustable shutter making it possible to modify the air flow of the ventilation circuit and the air flow of the venting circuit in reversible manner.
 2. A sports helmet according to claim 1, wherein said shutter connects the ventilation circuit to the venting circuit.
 3. A sports helmet according to claim 1, wherein said shutter has a longitudinal opening.
 4. A sports helmet according to claim 1, wherein said shutter has an operating stud that projects through the outer shell.
 5. A sports helmet according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable shutter has an axial tongue that is connected on either side to two arms, each of which carries a flap forming a valve member between the ventilation circuit and the venting circuit.
 6. A sports helmet according to claim 1, wherein said ventilation circuit comprises, in the liner, a central cavity and at least two side cavities, said cavities receiving said adjustable shutter and communicating with said slots.
 7. A sports helmet according to claim 6, wherein said venting circuit comprises at least two side channels provided in the liner between the suction inlets and said side cavities of the ventilation circuit, with which cavities they communicate via a duct.
 8. A sports helmet according to claim 7, wherein said adjustable shutter has an axial tongue that is connected on either side to two arms, each of which carries a flap forming a valve member between the ventilation circuit and the venting circuit, and wherein said axial tongue slides in the central cavity while said flaps pivot in the side cavities by said arms moving, under the action of said tongue, between an isolation position in which the ventilation circuit and the venting circuit are isolated from each other and a communication position in which the side channels of the venting circuit open out, via the duct into the side cavities of the ventilation circuit.
 9. A sports helmet according to claim 7, wherein said discharge outlets of the venting circuit communicate with said channels upstream from said duct.
 10. A sports helmet according to claim 7, wherein said channels of the venting circuit are of section that tapers going from upstream to downstream.
 11. A sports helmet according to claim 6, wherein said adjustable shutter has an axial tongue that is connected on either side to two arms, each of which carries a flap forming a valve member between the ventilation circuit and the venting circuit, and wherein said arms are of curved profile and are mounted to slide in circular guide grooves provided between the central cavity and the side cavities of the liner.
 12. A sports helmet according to claim 6, wherein said adjustable shutter has an axial tongue that is connected on either side to two arms, each of which carries a flap forming a valve member between the ventilation circuit and the venting circuit, and wherein said flaps are provided on links that are connected to said arms and that are fastened to move in rotation in said side cavities.
 13. A sports helmet according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation circuit further comprises firstly at least one upper slot in the liner that extends in register with at least one upper slot in the shell and secondly at least two side lower slots in the liner that extend in register with at least two corresponding slots in the shell.
 14. A sports helmet according to claim 12, wherein the upper face of each of the links forms a cover for closing a respective one of the slots in the shell.
 15. A sports helmet according to claim 1, wherein the venting circuit further comprises at least two front suction inlets in the liner and at least two corresponding discharge outlets in the shell that extend in offset manner towards the rear of the helmet. 